


Flowers For The Hurt

by starsbeyondus17



Category: American Housewife (TV)
Genre: Angst, Idiots in Love, M/M, Oliver still in ballet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-07
Updated: 2021-01-07
Packaged: 2021-03-18 18:28:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28622559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starsbeyondus17/pseuds/starsbeyondus17
Summary: Oliver and Cooper discuss their future and weather if they are willing to support one another for whatever path they both take. Cooper is angry that Oliver is always distracted with Harvard and the stress its taking on him as well as Cooper having to keep Oliver in check from hurting himself.How the boys will solve the problems will be up to if they can talk with each other, or just let the other be mad until they "get over it"Like always, Katie will step in and provide some assistance though.
Relationships: Cooper Bradford & Oliver Otto, Cooper Bradford/Oliver Otto
Comments: 2
Kudos: 23





	Flowers For The Hurt

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ficsnships](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ficsnships/gifts).



> A fun one-shot I wanted to try after ficnships(this is for you!) suggested an idea about it!
> 
> So, takes place around the summer of 2021(I'm going in the future a bit)  
> Oliver and Cooper had a fight about if they should really go to Harvard after Oliver got an acceptance letter last month. Cooper is frustrated because he thinks it would take even more time from Oliver being with him than it already has. Oliver is mad that Cooper isn't more supportive. How will this end?
> 
> This has no direct correlation to the series of "My Salvation"(which I also am writing too) its another period/timeline/universe where Oliver is still doing ballet and Cooper/Oliver aren't a couple yet.

June 23th, 2021

Cooper POV:

"Why can't you just listen to me and reconsider even for a second?!" I shouted towards Oliver.

"What do you want me to do? I have been working towards this my whole life Coop, and I'll go to hell before letting the opportunity escape me!" He shouted back. 

"I know this is your whole life, which I still don't understand, but have you ever though, I don't know, THINKING HOW IT AFFECTS ME?" I let myself slip a bit.

"You are the one who gets to lay back and barge your way in cause of your money, people like me actually have to do the work you know." Oliver returned back.

"You know Oliver, sometimes you are such an ass, dude do you see how much I miss you and all the time you cause yourself which looks like it physically AND mentally harms you to damnation!" I went further.

"We spend all our free time together my gosh Coop, what the hell do you also want me to do? handcuff us together so we can always be together? Sometimes you are too much holy crap!" Jesus, why not tell your true feelings why don't you....

"Even though I'm the one always saving your ass when you get in trouble, what's the next thing to increase your grades? More enhancement drugs? how about you buy out another student to take your test for you? you are such a perfectionist that its awful and sometimes you can only do your best.... Oliver you are exhausting for this past recent year." I calmed down a little.

He picked up his bag to head to ballet, it seems he was already done with this conversation, but I wouldn't let him just walk away again... at least we would get back to it later.

"I need to go, if you really think I'm never around, don't wait up for me." He suggested. What an asshole, he thought I was part of the problem? I have been helping him more than he could help himself.

"Just runaway again like always.... don't care how I feel or whatever." I tried to get the last word in, he ignored me and preceded to leave.

(About an hour later)

I was now alone in the basement thinking on how I could get Oliver and I out of this annoying fight, I think he had a lot of issues to attend to, but I wasn't going to give up on him. I just wish I knew what to do...  
Maybe Katie could help.

I went to the living room to see her watching some show that I didn't care for, I ignored it anyway, I quickly went to sit by her.

"Mrs. Otto, why is Oliver such a persistent ass on this whole Harvard thing? I mean I knew he always wanted to do it, but with him finally being accepted through all the testing from the recent year, its like he just focuses on that instead of me! I want to be seen by him too!" I projected my feelings to her.

She looked annoyed at first, but that's usually her default face, if she's in the middle of something then she doesn't want to be bothered. I really didn't care though and really just needed advice right now.  
She set some chips that she was eating down and wiped her hands on her jeans to get ready to talk.

"Cooper, I only know as much as you, he wants to be a successful rich douchebag like all these people in Westport! The only thing you can do, is just support what he wants. I mean he cares about you a lot so I don't see the big deal." She responded.

"He says that, but recently all I'm feelings is that I'm a sort of tool for him, or like I'm in his way.... Its too frustrating and I sometimes want to punch him and I would never, but why CAN'T. HE. JUST. CHILL OUT ABOUT HARVARD!" I shouted with a fierce rage, I didn't mean to in front of Katie, but I was feeling pretty irritated. 

She looked wide-eyed like I just transformed into another person, I guess its expected, I never get mad like this.

"What you need, is to let him know how you feel, Oliver's not good with his emotions, you have to stick it to him that you are feeling neglected and tell him to start paying more attention OR you will demand threats! You can really get a friend to know how they feel about you if you convince them that you'll go away if they don't start acting better! It worked for me back in high school when I guilted a friend of mine to giving me free booze for a party! Good times...." She finished. I mean she had a point, I don't want to get down and dirty, but if Oliver is continuing to go down this route, I don't know why else I would want to go with him to Harvard.... let alone be his friend anymore.

"But also Cooper, hold on a bit." She calmly told me to stay seated as I was about to get up.

"Oliver does really care about you, and even if he doesn't show it, he does want you in his life.... he'll go to the moon and back for you and you only." She softly stated.

It took me a minute to process it, but she was right.... Oliver was just trying to do right by both of us, to give us the best life and best futures... I suppose I could take a lighter route to getting him to open up.

I knew what to do!

(About another hour later, switching to Oliver's POV)

Oliver POV:  
As we were finishing up practice with a few cool down spins and twirls, throughout the whole session I was too distracted on the fight earlier with Cooper.

Was he right? Did I really not pay attention to him? Like I said MANY times before, I was doing it for us and what our life could have been like at its max potential.

But besides that, I couldn't focus at all and kept falling or slipping up all my moves. Mrs. Jansen was pretty mad with me, having to take me out the room to see what the problem was. I just told her I was fine and let me have a few minute breaks to see if it helped. It didn't and I was still worrying about how I left things with Cooper.

At the end of practice, I couldn't even finish with the easy as hell cool-down exercises, I practically toppled another girl over and good thing she caught herself.... I wasn't so lucky though.

I feel kind of hard on the back of my head, nothing too damaged, but I still felt annoyed, and Mrs. Jansen seemed to have had it.

"Class is over guys, get some rest and go home or whatever." She sighed with a 'I'm so done with this kid' expression, and she came over to offer a hand up.  
I took the offer and got back up quickly.

"Oliver come with me." She guided her hand out the door.  
I followed and we went to her office to speak.

"What's up and DON'T give me the 'its fine' blah blah stuff." She persisted.  
I guess I could tell her, Mrs. Jansen has gotten to liking me over the years, as opposed to the first time where she hated my guts, but after my mom literally brawled her, she came around.

"Okay fine.... if you know my best friend Cooper-"

"I feel like I only know Cooper in your life, he always picks you up and is hanging out with you all the time, practically boyfriends for God sakes." She interrupted, but said it in an easy-going mood. 

"Once again.... not my boyfriend, but yeah we had a big fight about the campus I wanted to attend and.... now we are mad at each other and I feel its my fault." I opened up.  
She nodded and prepared some words it was about to seem.

"Alright so, big fight yada yada, you two always seem to solve it though, I don't see anything different from what I just heard. Oliver you got to apologize and see where Cooper is coming from, whatever the main source is for that fact." She started.

"Well, he thinks I'm not spending enough time with him because I'm focusing too much on it, and I'm just doing it for us! We'll spend all the time in the world together in college!" I finished.  
She nodded again and began to form a sentence.

"Okay I see, well Oliver you have to see that Cooper doesn't want you to waste your time on meaningless crap like overpriced schools when you could be spending time with him.... he doesn't want you to worry on the future when the present is now and you are overseeing him. He isn't a gift you put on hold and you come to whenever you want." She gave me more of her thoughts.

She came over to land a hand on my shoulder.

"Don't lose your best friend for something that won't define your future, even if you think it would. Keep those who care for you close." She finished and opened the door for me to get my stuff.

"Also I need you in peak shape for tonight's recital, Oliver this is the big one you have been practicing for! I know you can do it, just make sure you speak with Cooper beforehand if you can, you mind has to be set on the performance." She sternly got on me. Yeah, it was a big one tonight, I even got the lead position after practicing non-stop. Although until I saw Cooper, I could very well flop this whole show and feel bad about letting the team down.

I got outside to prepare to drive to the theatre to where the recital was being held. Wasn't too long to get there.

(about 10 minutes later, arriving to Performing Arts Theatre)

I got ready with the team to head backstage and saw my parents' car there too. Strange. I thought they didn't have time to come, or at least my dad, mom would just say she was busy most of the time because she had to watch The Bachelor on Tuesday nights.

I got my attire ready, but backstage I saw mom and shockingly my best friend beside her.  
Not sure I was prepared for this.

"Mom, Coop, what are you doing here?" I asked confused, but a little happy Cooper came even after everything. Okay a lot happy. His bright smile and persona kept my spirits up.

"I just needed to help Cooper out and to get you guys where you need to be, I gave a little help and now think you should talk it out. I'll go take a seat before the show Oliver, hopefully you kill it out there!" Mom had genuinely responded.  
She left us to it and quickly Cooper got from behind his back, a bouquet of flowers.

"Hola amigo.... I know there's a lot to discuss, but on my part, I just want us to be how it was before..... I don't want to fight." He sincerely stated.

"I'm sorry Cooper, look, I was doing it all for us and if it made you feel bad or angry, whatever, I promise it won't be like that anymore." I told him.

"Okay I know, and we went over this, but you don't need to push that hard for it.... you can be a handful for when you set your mind on something." He responded.

"I am BECAUSE its for us, my gosh what will it take for you to realize that?" I tried to calmly state, but he kept going on about that.... maybe I should remember Mrs. Jansen's words.

"You can for sure, not be such a dick about it! how about we just break-up our friendship if this is what I'm gonna be stuck with?!" He shouted. Crap, I needed to settle down.

"No no, I'm sorry, its just that.... I really care about you Coop, and I want us to be together forever, I want us to do all the crazy stuff we can do, I just want to be secure on making sure we are safe overall in our future." I sincerely said. He nodded a little.

"Fine... but if you really care that much.... prove it to me." He smugly said. Oh great, he was going to force something on me.

"What is it?" I hesitantly asked, kind of scared of his request.

"Kiss me." He looked at my lips when saying that and smiled bigger. My heart just sped faster than a Lamborghini, was he joking?

"You got jokes dude, but come on what is it really?" I asked, trying to dodge, but he just looked more intently.

"I can joke, but I'm not now." He shot back.

"Dude, I thought we weren't gay?" I asked, I mean nothing was wrong if Cooper was, but.... I don't think I was.

"Oliver... I don't know what I am or who I am, but I love you and so far in this crappy world, its only you I would go around the world doing whatever with. So just tell me how you feel and I can adjust to that I guess." He said with a hint of sadness at the end. I guess I did like Cooper more than just a friend.... like I thought it was just peak platonic friendship... but maybe it was more. I don't know, I really loved him though so maybe my brain is just confused.

I stepped a bit closer towards him and placed my hands on his shoulder. Still reluctant, cause I didn't know if I wanted that, but my heart wasn't backing down.

"Only if its what you want Oliver." He reassured me that I didn't have to do it, but.... I wanted to.

We closed our eyes and leaned further into each other, feeling our breaths against our lips and pressing slowly, but surely against them.  
It was an amazing feeling, and we pressed our bodies closer to each other, we didn't even notice the time go by and pretty much every dancer saw us making out backstage with only 2 minutes left until the performance.

"Oliver, hun, you got a minute left until you go onstage! Okay I'm glad you are kissing your boyfriend, but we got a show to run!" Mrs. Jansen shouted with determination.

"He's not my.... oh what the hell, he's gonna be my freaking husband by the time we are 20 and need tax benefits." I stepped back from the kiss and smirkly said out-loud.

Mrs. Jansen and every dancer just smiled and urged everyone to head out. I was on my way on stage as well.

Cooper grabbed my arm real quick.

"Wait I got these for you too! and good luck! You'll do great!" He handed the flowers in my direction.

"Keep them until I'm done, but yeah hopefully I don't fall or something!" I laughed and smiled at him.

"I believe in you, you got me watching you after all!" He said.

"Thank you for being there again... even if I was the biggest ass." I finished.

He kissed me one more time for about a few seconds and I gave in as well.

"You could be, but at least I know you care." He smiled.

With that, I went onstage with the happiest mindset and knowing that Cooper and I would be more than alright.

**Author's Note:**

> Alright, so this was a little fun oneshot for ficnships! I hope I did you proud and you liked how it turned out!  
> Same for everyone who also reads it!
> 
> Also for "My Salvation" readers, New Years chapter will be up by the 10th or 11th, a few days before AHW comes back!
> 
> Love you all again and hopefully everything is well!


End file.
